


A (Rib)cage of Silver and Gold

by orphan_account



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 20:51:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6722905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of oneshots posted for Jackalu Week (May 1 - 7) 2016.</p><p>Summon: Jackal and Lucy's relationship in snapshots told by her spirits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Day 1: Summon
> 
> Day 2: Barter
> 
> Day 3: Sharp
> 
> Day 4: Filthy
> 
> Day 5: Bloodlust
> 
> Day 6: Stripper
> 
> Day 7: Mobster

**Taurus**

“Check if he’s breathing would you?” Taurus almost flinched, unwilling to touch the demon even if we was clearly unconscious, but his master wouldn’t ask him to endanger himself for no reason. Against his better judgment the bull leaned forward until he could see the rise and fall of the demon’s chest, unhindered by any sort of injuries, unlike his master.

“He’s mooooving, Lucy,” he replied.

He watched as brown eyes shuttered closed and delicate shoulders, barely covered by tattered and burnt clothing, fell forward. Suddenly her eyes snapped open, and alight with a new energy she pointed her finger at his chest, “Well, do me a favor and make sure he doesn’t go anywhere, I have to go talk to Master.” With that she turned around and walked in the direction he recognized the main force of Fairy Tail lay, Taurus knew better than to even think that she was storming off, even if her feet were hitting the ground pretty hard.

Watching her disappear from sight he felt some his stomachs begin to churn when he noticed the slight twitches that meant the demon was exiting a deeper slumber. What should he do? Go get Lucy? What if the demon escaped in that time? He couldn’t take him anywhere either, even if Taurus held any illusions about being able to take what appeared to be a fully rested Etherious in a fight, carrying the demon would require touching him, which would spell an end to any plans.

Unsure of how exactly he was supposed to respond he settled for shifting from hoof to hoof anxiously, hefting his axe back and forth, hoping Lucy returned before anything happened. Taurus was hardly a coward, but this demon had defeated three of the Zodiac’s the last time he’d fought Lucy, Taurus didn’t want to consider what would happen if he was forced to fight him.

More than any of that, Taurus fretted over how Lucy must be feeling at that moment, Aquarius’s key still lay out there in the world, and the man who had wrested the water-bearer’s contract from her lay seemingly fine on the ground. Lucy had already killed him once, and even if he was a demon, he didn’t want his master to take more lives than she had to.

Thankfully Taurus heard the distinct sound of Lucy’s rubber heeled boots hitting the ground, distracting him from his morose thoughts about her future.

Yet Lucy’s eyes held nothing but venomous rage, even as she tore her gaze from the body on the ground. “Master wants us to bring him over, looks like he’s not the only of those bookends to make a return.” The careful cheer didn’t fool him, he had known Lucy for far too long to think she was happy about not immediately killing him.

**Plue**

“That is not a dog.”

“He is so!”

“It’s got a carrot for a nose!”

“He’s a celestial dog!”

“Celestial dog my foot! That thing wouldn’t pass for a dog in the _Cube_!”

“Oh like you are one to talk! Dog’s don’t have vertical pupils you know!”

Plue’s head ticked back and forth as he watched the ongoing shouting match occurring in Lucy’s room. Lucy was right up against an unfamiliar man, her finger pointed threateningly at his chin. Plue wasn’t too worried, as the man couldn’t be that bad, because he appeared to be a fellow dog.

“It makes me more threatening,” the stranger refuted.

“Makes you look like some five year old designed you using crayons, not to mention that cat tail you had at first.” Plue blinked as he recognized that this must be Jackal, the demon that Lucy had fought previously.

Jackal looked like he was about to start arguing again so Plue realized it was time to intervene. “Puu-puun!”

Lucy turned distractedly to stare at him, before becoming flustered. “Oh I’m sorry, you must want to be introduced!” With a practiced move he left himself be hefted into her arms, content to be carried around.

“That’s not what he said at all.” Plue turned delightedly to look at the demon, he _was_ a dog, or at least someone that could understand him.

His master seemed to disregard what he was saying, Plue was sensing a pattern, “Plue, I’d like you to meet Jackal. Jackal this is Plue, a Canis Minor.”

Jackal seemed to inspect him, bending forward so that they were eye to eye. “Alright, maybe you are a dog.”

Plue let himself dance as much as he was able in Lucy’s grip, cheered by the acceptance of the short-tempered demon.

“Plue, do you mind watching Jackal while I run and get some milk?” Plue let his chest inflate as he nodded self-importantly. He would be honored to help Lucy keep him in line.

Slipping out the door, Lucy left himself and Jackal staring at each other, unsure of what to do with no one running the show. Hesitantly, Plue offered the demon a lollipop, and was surprised to find himself lifted up to be set on the demon’s shoulders even as he watched the cherry sucker disappear into his mouth. “What’s say you and I find something to do?”

Plue reflected that Jackal clearly couldn’t be all bad, because he was most definitely a fellow dog.

**Cancer**

“What kind of hairstyle would you like today? –ebi”

“Something a little more formal than usual, maybe have all of it up.” Cancer stared as he realized his master was less focused than usual, she clearly had something on her mind.

“Do you have something planned? –ebi” He asked curiously, wondering if that was what kept her preoccupied. Indeed she started, eyes darting to meet his in the mirror before glancing away, her cheeks stained red.

“I’m not sure if it a date, I wouldn’t want to presume,” her voice grew quieter and her face redder.

“But you want it to be. –ebi” He noted, watching her head nod slowly as her eyes resolutely focused on the frame of the mirror. Cancer had a sneaking suspicion he knew who exactly Lucy was worried about, but he wasn’t one for sharing rumors, even if the rumors had come from a furious lion.

Lucy shifted in her seat, and Cancer realized with a start that he was supposed to be trimming her hair, and he quickly let himself fall into trimming and arranging her golden locks.

Finally she responded, “I just don’t want to embarrass myself.”

Cancer stared at her in bemusement, “What would be embarrassing? –ebi”

She blushed again, making him consider if he should take a permanently red complexion into account when deciding what to do with her hair. “What if he doesn’t feel the same way?” Her countenance fell as her shoulders slumped, “In fact, I’m sure he doesn’t, he hates me.”

Cancer was now positive he knew who she was talking about, but Lucy didn’t need her spirit’s judgment on the ways of the heart, there was no doubt Leo would provide his own thoughts on the matter given time. “I think you should see what happens tonight. –ebi After all, he did ask you to dinner in the first place. –ebi”

That seemed to relax her somewhat, “You’re right,” she turned in her seat to give him a smile, “after all, nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Cancer just hoped that it was something gained, Lucy had already lost enough to Jackal, he didn’t want a broken heart added to the list of casualties.

**Loke**

“You don’t deserve her.”

A single golden eye blinked in acknowledgement of the statement before the owner turned back to staring pensively at the display.

Loke felt his temper flare, “Did you hear me? I said-“

“I heard you, but that’s not really something for you to decide.” Still the demon didn’t turn to look at him, engrossed in what he was doing.

“Besides if we’re going based on worth, then no one deserves Lucy,” his voice was soft, one that Loke had come to associate exclusively to when Jackal was talking about his master. “But that doesn’t matter to her, she doesn’t care about deserving, she said that’s not what relationships are supposed to be about.” Broad shoulders shrugged, “It’s up to the person to decide if they want to give themselves to someone else, even if that person doesn’t even remotely deserve them.”

Jackal turned around to look at him, and his face was hard where Loke was sure it had been awestruck only a moment ago, “I don’t deserve Lucy, but she doesn’t care, because she wants me,” he turned back around, leaving the lion to stare at his unmoving tail, “you need to accept that.”

Loke felt himself deflate, “I’m not jealous.”

“Yes, you are,” he felt his teeth bare against his will, what was it about this demon that made him itch to pound him into the ground every time he opened his mouth. “You’re just not jealous in the way people think you are.”

“What,” Loke replied flatly.

Jackal turned to face him once more, seemingly unconcerned that Loke was dragging the conversation out. “You’re jealous because she’s not just going to belong to her spirits anymore,” razor sharp teeth flashed as Jackal gave him a shark-like grin, “you could stomach sharing her with her guild because they’re like family, but you can’t stand me because I’m taking the place where you used to be. You aren’t in love with her, but you’re still jealous that you’re not such a big part of her world anymore.”

Loke felt himself flinch, thankful that no one else was paying them any mind to hear what the demon had said. He opened his mouth, but nothing presented itself to say, and instead he closed it again. Jackal seemed content to leave the argument there and instead picked something off the display to present to him.

“What do you think of this one?” It was a simple golden band, thin and unornamented, and Loke felt his eyebrows raise.

“Seriously, what sort of engagement ring is that?” He asked, stepping over to peer at the variety of jewelry displayed.

“It doesn’t have to be that fancy, it’s only temporary after all,” Jackal explained, but he put the ring back in its place.

Loke paused what he was doing to stare at the demon, letting his gaze travel over him, willing himself to let go of his bias as he offered, “You know, I think Capricorn has Layla’s old jewelry, including her wedding ring.”

Jackal snorted, but Loke saw the way his whole body seemed to relax, Loke hadn’t even realized that the demon had been tense, “She hasn’t even said yes yet.”

“You think she won’t?” he said, even as he indicated a delicate platinum ring for the other man’s perusal.

“I’m hoping she will,” Jackal said as he examined the ring, noting the tiny jewels inlaid in the metal.

Loke let his body relax, he could do this, Jackal was right: it all came down to how Lucy would choose. “I call best man.”

“Fucking eat shit house cat, Tempesta’s my best man, obviously.”

**Virgo**

The princess was crying. Why was her princess crying? Lucy’s body was wracked with sobs, snot running from her nose to blend with the tears that seemed to pour from her eyes.

“What’s wrong, princess?” She wanted to ask if someone needed punishment, but that could wait until her mistress could speak without hiccupping.

Lucy shook her head violently back and forth, covering her mouth with one of her hands to muffle the noise, letting the other one brace her against the dresser so that she let herself collapse forward against it.

“It’s- it’s my fault.” At least that’s what Virgo thought she had said, it was hard to tell.

Moving forward so that she could embrace her master from behind, Virgo rubbed Lucy’s arms comfortingly. “Don’t tell met Jackal left you a week before the wedding.”

Lucy shook her head again, nearly catching Virgo’s own chin as her body seemed to shake even more. “No-o-o, but he sh- should.”

Virgo felt herself grow confused, she knew, despite her own feelings on the matter, that Jackal worshipped the ground Lucy walked upon. “What happened?”

Lucy’s body settled underneath hers, as Lucy let in great gasping sobs, “I kept pushing him, he didn’t want to talk about it, but I kept asking and asking, and it’s not his fault, it’s mine, but he’s upset, and I shouldn’t have brought it up-“ she choked off as Virgo felt another bout of shudders rush through her.

“What should you have brought up, princess?” This was dangerous territory. The demon had a notoriously short temper, but he rarely snapped at Lucy, but it sounded like he was upset, which usually only came around when he was being particularly self-pitying.

“I asked him about kids,” Lucy answered. Virgo felt her brain pause as she tried to understand what that meant. Lucy loved kids, she knew that her master had always desired a large family, she didn’t want any child of hers to grow up alone as she had. Perhaps Jackal had admitted disinterest, he had shown an aptitude for children as well, letting Asuka brush his ears and tail to her hearts content, but capability didn’t always indicate desire.

Hesitantly she offered, “Princess, it’s important for a couple to be in agreement when it comes to things like children.”

Lucy shook her head, “It’s not that.” She paused, and Virgo took the time to step back and walk around so that she could see her master’s face. “Jackal’s upset, because he can’t give me kids.”

Virgo felt her heart break. Clearly both of them were devastated, Lucy at the idea that she couldn’t have the family she so desired with the man she loved, and Jackal that he couldn’t give Lucy something she so desperately craved.

“Princess,” she stopped, considering how to word this, “do you blame him?”

Lucy turned to face her, aghast. “Of course not, he says all the Etherious are sterile.” Virgo idly wonders if that means Natsu is as well, but that’s a problem for another day.

“You still want to marry him, then?” Lucy nodded her head emphatically, tears still dripping from her eyes. Virgo gathered up her courage, “You need to tell him that then.”

Lucy stared, confused, “Tell him what?”

“Tell him that you still love him, imagine how he feels right now, knowing that he can’t give you children.” It felt awful, talking to her princess in such a stern voice when she was clearly distraught, but it had to be done.

Lucy gasped, eyes wide before setting her shoulders back in determination, wiping the tears from her eyes. With a hug, and quick whisper of “thanks” she was out the door like a shot.

**Scorpio**

“I need a favor.”

“We are willing to listen.” Scorpio turned his head to look at his heavily pregnant master, who seemed to be fidgeting with her wedding ring, an heirloom of the Heartfilia family.

“Is it okay for you to ask Aquarius something for me, I just need to hear back soon-“ she blushed, averting her eyes to look somewhere else as Scorpio considered the request. He didn’t know of any laws preventing him from carrying a message to Aquarius, and presumably an answer back. Even if Lucy no longer held his sugar’s contract, he knew that the girl still considered Aquarius to be a mother figure, as seen by the tears when the water bearer’s new master had been kind enough to attend the wedding.

“We are willing to pass on a message.” Lucy seemed to brighten, but the hesitant look she was wearing didn’t abate.

“Could you- could you ask her if…” she paused before blurting out in a near incomprehensible blur of words, “I was hoping I could name the baby after her if it’s a girl!”

Scorpio felt his whole body freeze, his heart beat catching on the beat before redoubling it’s speed as if it make up for the lapse. He leaned forward, resting a heavy hand on Lucy’s shoulders, giving her his signature grin, “We are happy to do this for you!”

Lucy laughed excitedly, “I just hope she’s okay with it. It’s kind of weird because she’s still alive and all but,” she trailed off.

“She’ll be honored.” Quietly he asked, “Any ideas for if it’s a boy?”

She nodded, letting a blush steal over her cheeks, “I was going to ask if he’d like the name Mard.” Scorpio’s breath caught again, before letting it go, it was well within the demon’s rights, he had likely considered the underworld king a friend, and Lucy was trying to honor that.

“I’ll go ask her, don’t want you popping anything out while you’re waiting.” He let himself disappear, watching Lucy’s cheeks flush from something other than embarrassment, he could almost hear her yelling about bad jokes as he returned to the Celestial world.

**Lyra**

“Please help me,” Jackal begged, very very quietly. There wasn’t much of a point as it was clear that the entire household was already awake. “Lucy’s got a mission with her team in the morning and I haven’t slept in three months, please help me.”

Lyra nodded, she didn’t mind looking after babies, they never failed to be an appreciative audience, she only wished she was available to Lucy more often. “Of course I’ll help.”

Jackal nodded thankfully, turning back to crawl back into bed with Lucy, who was already asleep again, even though Lyra could feel the miniscule drain on her magic that keeping a gate open created.

She let herself into the nursery, familiar with its location by now, spying the squalling infant tossing back and forth. Next to him lay his identical twin, prime to start sobbing himself. Carefully she plucked them both from the crib, settling them carefully on her lap. “Your sister was never this difficult you know?” she said conversationally as she adjusted her harp so that she could cradle them while playing.

Twin sets of eyes blinked up at her, the crying had stopped for now, but she knew better than to think that would hold true for long. She let herself be thankful that the twins had inherited their mothers chocolate eyes and fair hair. Their older sister Aquarius had orange eyes. Close enough to Jackal’s gold that _people didn’t think to look twice_ , especially with her blonde hair, even if the blond was wrong shade and hadn’t shown any signs of lightening. But Aquarius was Jackal’s, that much was clear, the two year old took delight in destruction, although she hadn’t yet shown any aptitude for causing pain.

Jude’s breath had evened, and Mard wasn’t prone to tears unless his brother was upset, so Lyra carefully placed them side by side back in the crib, watching them cling to each other, pale hair tangling.

**Aquarius**

“Will you make a contract with me?” Aquarius let her gaze fall on the man before her, he seemed familiar but she’d lived a long time, many of her previous owners had descendants who remained celestial mages.

“You’re quite rude aren’t you, my last master’s barely dead in the ground and you’re wanting to be my new one.” She glared down at him, and was pleased to see brown eyes wince, even if his stance didn’t falter. So he was polite enough to know she was right, but he wasn’t a pushover, she could work with that.

“I apologize, I had to move fast, your last master didn’t leave her keys to anyone, so it would have been a mad dash for a golden key.” He was well spoken, another point in his favor.

Huffing, Aquarius crossed her arms underneath her chest, bending over to look down at him, “What’s your name punk?”

The man blinked, seemingly realizing he hadn’t introduced himself. “My apologies again,” he bowed slightly, she definitely liked him, “my name is Mard Heartfilia.”

Aquarius felt her throat tighten, it hadn’t been that long, had it? She had just attended Lucy’s wedding… nearly 25 years ago, and standing before her was her old master’s son, all grown up already. Not letting anything she might be feeling show, she let her gaze wander off in consideration, even though she’d known the answer the moment she’d heard his name, really the moment she’d seen those familiar brown eyes looking up at her. “Alright, but with a few conditions.”

The boy, Mard, she’d never liked the name, but he looked to be nothing like his namesake so she’d forgive him that, started. “Of course, name them.”

Oh, Aquarius was definitely going to like working with him more than his mother. “First of all, tell me about your family.”

Mard’s face split into a grin, eyes crinkling at the corners, “Well, Q’s just got engaged, Diana Orlando proposed while they were on a mission. Apparently they were both covered in blood at the time, she thought it was terribly romantic. Jude’s just been made S-Class, he’s been intolerable at home, but my mom’s thrilled even though she tells him to stop bragging.”

Aquarius let it wash over her, she wondered what Lucy looked like now, after all these years, whether her husband had aged at all, or if he remained as youthful as he had for 300 years before meeting her. She supposed it was better to find out first hand.


	2. Barter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’d saved her, albeit unintentionally, so even though she feels like she’s bartering away her very soul, there’s no other option in her mind then to agree.

There are rules here, but Lucy can’t figure out what they are. Nothing makes sense, but it’s all so carefully planned and diligently carried out that it can’t be random.

She was kidnapped, that much is clear. This isn’t the first time she’s been taken from her home, but they aren’t interested in her father or his wealth. There has been no mention of a ransom, or reassurance that she will be returned home at some point. Instead there is a carefully worded inquiry as to whether she is Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Layla Heartfilia, and that’s all they want to know about her family.

There are plenty of questions though. Nonsensical, bizarre ones. Is she a celestial mage? She lies, and says no, and they seem irate, and Lucy craves the knowledge of what they need a celestial mage for. Is she a mage at all? Of course not, that’s hardly befitting a woman of her status. How did her mother die? She can’t recall, she was too young and her father never told her.

There’s more after that, about dragons and eclipses but none of it makes any sense. Lucy’s tongue is weighted down with the lies she’s told to these people and her head is dizzy keeping them straight. But she can’t falter, they want her for something, want a celestial spirit mage for something, and she won’t help them.

She’s struggling to keep track of how long she’s been here, long enough to see her ribs, because the arrival of food is also random and the guards seem to change faces every time they glance at her.

There’s some sort of rule governing how this guild seems to work, but Lucy can’t even figure out her captor’s name, let alone what they want.

They don’t just torture her, when they tire of flaying her they move on. Her father is dad, she’d seen his body while being spirited away, but there are the household servants that still live. Those threats hurt more than losing fingernails.

Lucy’s being occupied by trying to figure out why, exactly, these strangers want to know the circumstance of her mother’s death, or specifically, why they don’t believe she knows. It takes a second to recognize that something is wrong, she can smell the faint tang of blood and the pounding of panicked footsteps approaching.

Suddenly it occurs to Lucy that she’s been looking at it all along, there are no rules bound by logic, the only driving force in this place is fear.

A head lurches into sight and she recognizes it as someone who’s also had the pleasure of interrogating her, but that’s all she has time to note before he doesn’t have a head to peer in with. There’s blood, warm and tacky and in her mouth, and she watches a body collapse forward, ending abruptly at the shoulders.

The woman who has been questioning her flinches back from where she’s been towering over Lucy. “Wait, listen! You don’t understand, we’ve been-“

Her voice cuts off with her air supply, hands scrabbling to free her throat from the death grip she’s been held in. Lucy feels her blood run cold, eyes trained on heeled feet being suspended nearly a foot off the ground.

“Oh, I don’t understand?” the voice is high and furious, and totally unfamiliar. “Tell me, what exactly don’t understand.” He drops the woman, red hair in disarray and pale eyes full of terror. “What exactly has your fucking guild done, that I don’t understand?” He pauses, lashing out with his foot to kick her in her side, and Lucy quakes where she’s still chained up.

“What is it you think we’ve done?” The woman is desperate, voice quaking and Lucy would be sympathetic except she can’t feel her extremities from nerve damage.

Lucy’s too afraid to look at the face of the newcomer, she doesn’t want to draw attention to herself, but she turns her head towards him to hear his answer all the same. “I think that you idiots heard a rumor, and decided it was the perfect time to claw your way up the totem pole. Except,” a pause, punctuated by another kick and another sharp cry, “you didn’t take something into account.”

“Oh?” The woman’s feigning nonchalance, but it’s not particularly convincing.

“You forgot,” and another lift, and a flash of crimson hair, and then more crimson, splashing against the wall she’d been dashed against. “You forgot, that you’re fucking trash.” There’s a huff, and the sound of cloth being rustled. Lucy squeezes her eyes shut, and she’s not sure whether or not she wants to be noticed.

“And who are you?” his voice is not as angry, but it is no kinder for it.

Wetting her lips nervously, she very carefully does not open her eyes, “Lucy.”

“Heartfilia?” She feels her heart freeze in terror at the word. Not again, not again not- “They mentioned you in their correspondence.”

Suddenly her wrists are being unbound, and she lets her hands flex, opening her eyes to watch a blond head stoop to free her ankles. “Correspondence?”

“Mhmmm,” he doesn’t look up at her as he responds, engrossed in freeing her from the chair, ideally without her losing any limbs, “amateurs, no idea why we let them stick around this long. I don’t care how vague they think they’re being, no information you want clandestine should be written down.”

Lucy nods her head, making small noises of agreement, she doesn’t understand what he’s saying, but he saved her and she doesn’t want him to change his mind. “Did they say what they wanted with me?”

“They got their hands on some well-guarded information, and decided to take it advantage of it immediately, and poorly.”

Suddenly she is staring at a well-muscled stomach, and she realizes with a start that her feet are free. Lucy still doesn’t know what any of this means, why this man is free, but there are tears dripping down her chips to pool uncomfortably on her chin and she leaps forward to embrace this stranger in a hug. “Thank you.” It’s muffled, her mouth pressed against bare skin, but she can’t bring herself to care.

She feels a hand rest awkwardly on her scalp, “Don’t make the mistake of thinking I did this for you.”

Lucy shakes her head violently, hands gripping blood skin because he’s here and even though he’s wearing a guild mark it’s not the one she’s been looking at for weeks on end.

“I can’t believe their plans would’ve worked were it not for an uncooperative 15 year old.” Lucy resolves not to ask what exactly those plans were, it doesn’t matter she’s safe. “What am I supposed to do with you?”

 

* * *

 

Apparently the answer is treating her wounds well enough that she walk and shunting her into a bathroom to clean herself. Lucy will forgive him that though, because she feels clean for the first time in a long time, and that’s work the harsh sting of water in fresh cuts.

She comes out feeling better than she has in a while, but she still can’t quite grasp her thoughts properly, there’s clean clothes waiting for her, and food, and that helps. Looking around for any sign of her rescuer she decides that he probably wouldn’t want her wandering around, she doesn’t want to test what is an obviously fiery temper. Instead she lets herself rest, feeling muscles relax, she doesn’t know what’s coming but it’s a better future than she had that morning.

Lucy wakes up the sound of a door opening. She’s been left hyperaware of her surroundings, the sound seems startlingly loud in the quiet building. Her thoughts feel clearer and less panicked as she locks gazes with a vibrant gold eye.

“I haven’t introduced myself,” he says, and he still feels dangerous for saying something so benign. “My name’s Jackal.” He pauses, perhaps waiting for her to respond, but he already knows her name. “I need to ask you some questions.”

She feels cold, her blood pounding in her ears, but he makes no move to approach her from his stance in the doorway. “I don’t know what I can answer, I don’t even know who these people were.”

His one visible eye widened, but he didn’t appear angry. “I don’t need that, I want you to tell what they wanted from you.”

Lucy shakes her head, hands clenching; tearing open freshly scabbed cuts on her palms. “I don’t know, they didn’t tell me.”

“They asked you questions though, can you tell me about them?” Jackal’s voice is soft, but it doesn’t suit him, she prefers it harsh and intimidating.

“What will I get in return?” It falls from her lips before Lucy can stop herself, and she flinches where she still lies on the bed.

“What do you want?” He’s got a curious tone, and Lucy takes it as a good sign that he doesn’t look angry.

Hesitantly, she asks “Why did you come here in the first place?”

Jackal moves, and she’s afraid for a minute that that’s too much, that she’s pushed him too far and she’s about to lose her head like that man did. “How about we trade answers,” at her nod he continues, “my guild intercepted a letter that mentioned a particular name. Someone that’s supposed to have died a long time ago,” he turns around, “they knew something they shouldn’t have, that he’d killed our previous guild master.” Lucy drew in a sharp breath, who was it that had killed the master of someone so dangerous? “We worried, if they knew that, there was the possibility they had other information, stuff that could kill us if they had the right tools. It turns out that they did, but they were missing a couple links that they hoped you could fill in.”

Lucy opens her mouth to inquire as to what they wanted, but remembered her agreement to share knowledge with him in return. “They wanted to know how my mother died.”

“How _did_ she die?” he asked.

“I told them I didn’t know, I was only eight when she passed away, and my father wouldn’t tell me,” she answered.

“Is that the truth?”

She shook her head slowly, “No, I watched her waste away from magic deficiency.”

“What else?” Jackal moved closer, drawing a chair to her beside to perch on.

Lucy drew her eye brows together as she thought, “They wanted to know about something called an Eclipse Gate.”

The man let out an annoyed huff, “Never heard of it.”

Lucy giggled nervously, “Neither had I, but they seemed to think I would. I think it’s some form of Celestial spirit magic.”

A single eyebrow raised as Jackal propped up his chin with his hands to look at her. “And are you a Celestial Spirit Mage.”

“I told them I wasn’t.”

“Where are your keys?”

“They were left in my bedroom, I have no idea where they are now.”

Jackal seemed to think over her words, gaze roving over the room idly. “Is there a way to find out more about their Eclipse Gate of theirs?”

Lucy shifts, wanting to consider the question before she answered. “If it was truly a Celestial Spirit Magic, then maybe. I’d need my keys.”

More silence, before he answers slowly. “I’ll get your keys for you, if you help me look into this.”

She doesn’t answer immediately, but she knows what she’s going to say the moment he makes the offer. He’d saved her, albeit unintentionally, so even though she feels like she’s bartering away her very soul, there’s no other option in her mind then to agree. “Where are you going to take me?”

There’s mirth dancing in his golden eye, “Back to my guild.” He stands, before turning back, “You won’t find anywhere safer.”

Lucy doesn’t care how safe it is, because Jackal’s going to be there, and he’s already proven more than capable of protecting her. “Okay then, let’s do this.”


	3. Sharp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At more than 300 years old he should not be able to pull of puppy eyes as well as he does, especially with only one eye, but Lucy swears she sees moisture gather in it and she should not have to put up with every time she suggests something like basic hygiene to her boyfriend.

“You need to trim your nails.”

Jackal looked up, startled from trying to scrub blood from his hands. Today was not the day to have that fight, no matter how much Lucy had a sick sort of curiosity as to where the dried blood originated from. “I don’t have nails babe,” he answered, trying to inconspicuously hide the evidence behind his back.

It was only the knowledge that Jackal was trying to distract her that kept Lucy from criticizing his pet name for her, she was not going to be swayed from her goal. If Jackal sensed even the slightest bit of weakness this was never going to get done, and she absolutely refused to let this lie. “Your claws then, they need to be trimmed, you’re going to take someone’s eyes out,” she snapped.

Lucy watched as her boyfriend idly raised up one of his hands, seemingly haven given up hiding the blood dried all the way up to his elbow. They really were claws, matte black hooks that had a history of getting caught in things. Things light her favorite knit scarf, which had then promptly been accidentally shredded by those claws in his desperate bid to free his hand. Jackal inspected them interestedly, as if he had never seen them before, which was bullshit because he delighted in using them to tear into the belongings of people who annoyed him.

 “Did someone say something?” Jackal asks, as if in idle curiosity, but Lucy’s been dating him for nearly a year now and she can hear the implicit threat behind his words. Whoever complained about Jackal’s claws is going to experience their destruction first hand.

Instead of ratting out anyone, and there had been many people who had given Lucy mournful looks as they complained to her, she settled her hands into fists on her hips and furrows her brows. “I’m saying something, right now.”

Jackal seems to shrink in on himself, but this is another one of his tricks and Lucy will not be swayed, not even if she dearly wants to lean forward and stroke his ears that he has plastered against his head. “I thought you liked my claws.” At more than 300 years old he should not be able to pull of puppy eyes as well as he does, especially with only one eye, but Lucy swears she sees moisture gather in it and she should not have to put up with every time she suggests something like basic hygiene to her boyfriend.

She doesn’t relax from her stance, it’s a power stance and she knows Jackal loves it when she gets like this and Lucy will take any advantage she can get, this is war. “I love your claws puppy-dog,” she takes a vicious pleasure in the minuet flick of his ears at the name, “but I’d love them even better if they were just a little bit shorter.”

Jackal lets out a long put upon sigh that simultaneously makes Lucy want to punch him for acting like this is some great travesty she’s forcing him into, but also lets her know that she’s won the argument. “I suppose you want to be the one to do it,” it’s framed like a question, but she can hear the undertone of anticipation. He adores it when Lucy pays attention to his more bestial aspects.

“Present your hands for inspection,” she said in answer, holding out her own left hand in demand. Jackal graciously presented it, his skin scorching hot as always, and he only let out a little huff when Lucy dug through her pocket to pull out a nail clipper and file.

Five minutes later it was done, and Lucy found herself trying to sit upright on the floor with a lapful of Jackal. Behind him his tail wagged furiously as she let him tickle her. “There now, doesn’t it feel better to be able to do things like this?”

Jackal relented his assault on her sides long enough to pout, though the continued wagging didn’t lend credence to a grudge. “They’re supposed to be sharp,” he said.

Lucy reached up to scratch behind one of his ears, “Between the two of us, I think your teeth are plenty sharp enough to make up for it.”

The answering grin she got, full of razor sharp teeth, was positively wicked, “Oh?” He said calmly, as if his hands weren’t subtly creeping up her sides to settle at her ribcage, resting there like hot coals.

Lucy nodded, leaning forward to press her chest against his, her own hands dancing along his shoulders. “In fact, I can think of plenty of things you can do with your hands now that your claws aren’t so sharp.”

There was a hot flash of teeth grazing against her neck and Lucy decided that Jackal had taken the hint.


End file.
